A lot of people running businesses in the UK are unaware of the importance of Legionella prevention and their legal obligations when it comes to this deadly bacterium.
Look at it this way: where there is water, there is a likelihood of contamination.
Think of water as a dangerous commodity to treat with caution, just as you would with gas and electric. It is down to the business owner or appointed Responsible Person to ensure that water is monitored properly to prevent the growth of Legionella.
Legionella Statistics
Although the death rate for Legionnaire’s disease has ranged from 5-30%, it’s generalised that the mortality rate amongst “average” people (healthy adults with no respiratory issues or illnesses) is 1 in 10. However, the fatality rate for over 50-year-olds is more around the region of 1 in 5.
That certainly doesn’t go to say that only businesses with elderly people around should be cautious. Legionella is an aerosol bacterium that survives distances of 6km, and any public place can have vulnerable people around (infants, elderly and those with weaker immune systems).
In England and Wales, there are 500 cases of Legionnaires disease reported per year. This just goes to show how Legionella can affect anyone, anywhere, and no business is safe without conducting the proper checks.
Legionella in Businesses: The Problem With “I Can Handle it Myself”
Health and Safety guidance advises that businesses of five or more employees must have a Risk Assessment on water systems “as often as needed” (the recommendation is every two years, or sooner if water circumstances change).
In addition to this, action must be taken to ensure systems are checked and monitored regularly and to a sufficient standard.
Appointing these tasks to an untrained member of staff isn’t in a business’s best interests; it can be an extremely burdensome job and inadequate checks can result in very serious ramifications, including fines, closure and prosecution.
Health and Safety offences can be issued with unlimited fines (look at the £3million BUPA fine after a Legionnaires disease death in 2015). What’s more, it doesn’t have to take someone getting ill for penalisation to occur; fines and prosecution are due to negligence, regardless of the outcome.
The best way to prevent Legionella is to entrust a certified service provider to check water systems to British Standards. Having a service in place acts as a legal safety net which proves your business’s compliance.
Help from Direct365
Negligence can destroy businesses. We can prevent that from happening with our accredited safety services.
We offer LCA-approved Legionella testing, Risk Assessments, monitoring and training to help your business stay compliant in every way possible. The help we provide is totally flexible, so our quotes and service can be specific to different business’s needs.
Health and Safety law differs from criminal law where investigations are concerned. In Health and Safety cases, you must prove yourself innocent (rather than “innocent until proven guilty”); without records to prove innocence, you can be presumed responsible.
We can even hurry things along if you have a CQC check coming up – just let us know and we’ll do our best to come to your premises as soon as possible.
Remember, if you can afford to open your doors for business, then you can afford to do it safely. Visit our Legionella page here or call 0808 163 9660 for more information and a free, no-obligation quote.